Argyle, Georgia - History

History

About 1885 the town of Argyle came into existence. For many years it was nothing more than a mere station, but gradually it grew to be a town. This town is located in the eastern part of the county on the A. C. L. Railroad, and is but two miles from the Ware County line. It was first named Saussy, In honor of Clement Saussy and others who were heirs of Gasper J. Fulton. Mr. Fulton was a resident of Savannah and purchased the land whereon the town is located, in i860 from John Smith, of Clinch County. This land was originally granted by the State to James C. Smith in 1843, and he in 1845 sold it to Joseph Lane. In 1845 ^'I^*- Lane sold it to John Smith, a brother of James C. Smith, and Mr. Smith owned it until i860, when he sold it to Mr. Fulton.

Among the early postmasters were I. H. Drawdy and C. W. Burt, and B. A. Harper. Later Mr. S. C. Patterson was postmaster, and following his resignation about two years ago, Mr. W. H. James was appointed. The population of the town, according to the census of 19 10, was 280. The name of the town was changed to "Argyle" in 1899.

In 1908 the Argyle people unanimously voted In favor of creating a local school district, and since then have, by taxation and other means, raised about $1,500 and built a very nice school building on the outskirts of town, on the public road leading Into Argyle. It is a two-story frame building, with improved desks and other Improvements. It is known as the Union High School. The land and building were valued in 19 12 at $2,500 according to the report of the State School Commissioner. The present trustees of the school are: W. H. Hinson, B. A. Harper, A. B. Williams, S. C. Patterson and W. L. Hinson, wide-awake and energetic citizens.

On August 26th, 1897, Saussy, as the town was then known, was visited by a very disastrous fire, entailing a loss of several thousand dollars. All of the business portion of town was destroyed.

About 1907, the Bank of Argyle was chartered and established. Its first president was L. O. Benton, who organized the Bank of Homerville. In 1909 the bank closed its doors

Saw-Mill Enterprises

Among the earlier saw-mill enterprises In Clinch County, was the one mentioned In Chapter 4, which Dr. J. H. Mattox and Cyrus S. Graves established at Homerville. Another early mill was that of William G. Norwood and James B. Porter at Homerville. Frank Sloat established a large sawmill near Stockton about 1874, and later it became a partnership under the name of Sloat, Bussell & Co. Still later a mill was put up and operated near Stockton by Frye & Humphreys.

One of the largest mills at the time was that operated by R. B. Reppard. At first Harry C. Reppard was interested In it, but he sold out his Interest to R. B. Reppard. Later, Mr. Reppard organized the Reppard Land, Lumber & Saw-Mill Company, a corporation. They acquired land and timber in nearly every section of the county. Their mill was located about four miles east of Homerville on the A. C. L. Railroad, and was operated several years. It was first organized about 1879, ^^^ was operated about five years. The Southern Pine Company eventually acquired possession of this property.

Another big plant was that of Paxton & Mattox, a few miles west of Homerville on the railroad. Originally it was a partnership composed of Miles Albertson and David B. Paxton, but about 1888, Mr. Albertson sold his Interest to H. P. Mattox, of Homerville, and It continued under the name of Paxton & Mattox. The place was called Clinch Haven, and for several years was one of the largest enterprises In the county. The business failed about 1895, and was acquired by Geo. F. Craig & Company, of Philadelphia.

About 1 90 1 another plant was erected at the same point and the name of the place changed to "Cutting." The Southern Pine Company were the owners. In a few years the

But in 191 1 a company of North Georgia and Northern capitalists acquired a lease-hold to the land where their mills were erected, and purchased several thousand acres of timber and land from Messrs. H. J. Peagler, W. K. Peagler, and H. M. Peagler. It was organized into a corporation and named The Georgia Lumber & Turpentine Company. They manufactured lumber and produced wood spirits of turpentine.

In addition to the mills at Cutting, there are the mills at Fargo and Council, referred to before in this book. These are the largest plants in the county.

Waycross And Western Railroad

During 19 13 a movement was launched to construct a new railroad from Waycross through the northern part of Clinch County to Milltown in Berrien County. The principal movers were John G. and Alex. K. Sessoms, of Waycross, and F. B. Sirmans, of this county. A charter was secured and work begun, and the road was completed to Milltown during 19 1 5. It gave a new route for Milltown and Berrien County produce to Savannah and other markets, besides opening up a new territory.

The president of the new railroad, which was named the Waycross & Western, was Alex. K. Sessoms, who was a native of Ware County. He was a son of Alex. K. Sessoms, Sr., who died about 1909. The elder Sessoms was very wealthy and possessed much property not only in Clinch County, but in Ware County and in Mexico and other places. In 19 1 5 Mr. Sessoms, the president of the road, was appointed on the new Board of County Commissioners of Clinch County, although he had been in the county but a year.

The vice-president of the road was Hon. F. B. Sirmans, a leading citizen of Clinch and an ex-Senator from the fifth district. Mr. Sirmans, whose home was in the Mud Creek district, owned much property through the territory opened up by the new road. He had a nice tract of his land at a point on the new railroad, about a mile distant from his home, surveyed into town lots and a boom launched for a new town to be called Sirmans. The town lots were sold at auction and Mr. Sirmans had one of the largest cotton ginneries in the county established in the new town. Several stores were soon built.

The mercantile establishments at Sirmans, are The Hughes Mercantile Company and James A. Mathis. There is another store there but is unoccupied. Mr. Sirmans, who had been postmaster for several years at his turpentine still, which was connected by rural route with DuPont, resigned, and Mr. W. W. Elliott, a former resident of Homerville, was appointed postmaster.

At the same time, another new town came into existence on the same railroad. It was located In the Moore's Mill district and about a half-mile from Mr. E. C. Hodges' place. The name given to this place at first was "Hodges," but when a post office was applied for the name was changed to "Cogdell," on account of there being another post office In the State by the same name.

Mr. Sessoms, president of the road, removed to Cogdell and built a nice home. He fenced about one thousand acres of wild land, which adjoined Cogdell, and soon had it stumped and cultivated. Mr. Sessoms has put up a modern cane mill at Cogdell, and besides, has been successful in securing from the State Agricultural department a State experiment station for farm demonstration purposes at Cogdell.

There is a saw-mill and shingle-mill at Cogdell and two stores. The postmaster is James A. Brown. Soon after the beginning of Cogdell it was seen that a school was needed, and wisely and time enough so, since there was not a school in several miles. A movement in which Mr. Sessoms and John B. KIrkland were the leaders, resulted in formation of a new local school district with Cogdell as the site of the school. This was in 19 15. A school building was immediately built and the local school trustees being without funds at the time, Mr, Sessoms furnished the necessary funds until a tax levy could be made and revenue raised.

The school building which was built, was built in bungalow style and neatly and durably constructed of good lumber. State School Supervisor F. E. Land, in a recent visit to the Cogdell school, pronounced the energetic work on the part of local citizens and the school to be one of the finest demonstrations in school work he had seen.

The Okefinokee Swamp

Over the eastern border line of Clinch County there extends a part of the famous Okefinokee Swamp, one of the most extensive areas of submerged land on the North American continent.

When Ware County was created in 1824, it embraced the entire swamp, barring of course a portion which extends into Florida. It is the largest swamp on the continent with the exception of the Dismal Swamp in Virginia, and the Everglades in Florida. Up to about twenty years ago it remained unexplored and indeed some parts of it are yet unexplored. It is found to be a vast marsh with occasional lakes and islands. There is some of the best timber to be found, in the swamp.

In 1 89 1 an Act was passed by the Legislature authorizing the Governor to deed the lands embraced in the swamp to the Suwannee Canal Company, a corporation. The promoters hoped to provide means to float the timber to the St. Mary's River and also to drain the swamp by means of a large canal, thus not only securing the timber but also reclaiming the land. But it was not successful. Within the last few years the Hebard Cypress Company, a corporation composed principally of Pennsylvanians, has acquired this property, and has constructed a railroad from Waycross where the company's

In White's Historical Collections of Georgia, published in 1854, the statement is made that the name "Okefinokee" is derived from two Indian words "ooka" and "finocau" ; the former of which means "water" and the latter "quivering." Originally the great swamp was called "E-cun-fi-no-cau," a compound meaning "quivering earth." But the Creeks preferred the former expression. The author, Dr. White, says the swamp is thirty miles long and seventeen broad, and in it are several islands, one of which the Creeks represented to be among the most blissful spots in the world.

The swamp lies partly in Clinch, while most of it is in Ware and Charlton counties. Billy's Island and Floyd's Island are large islands of this swamp, containing some fertile land. The Suwannee River originates in this swamp and flows southward through Clinch County into Florida. The town of Fargo is situated on the river.

The following is taken from a description given by one well acquainted with the swamp: "Billy's Island is at this season of the year (November) a hunter's paradise. The only direct way to reach this place from Argyle or Homerville by Mixon's Ferry on the Suwannee River; thence three miles through the swamp over the 'causeway,' which was built by the soldiers during the Indian war in order to give battle to the great Indian chief 'Billy Bowlegs,' from whence the island took its name. Thence through the 'cow-house' and down the Suwannee River, which has its origin here. The water is black. The lake is on the west side of the island, and is not more than half a mile wide at any point. As to it being good hunting and fishing grounds there are no better to be found."

Trout, perch, bream, jacks and cat-fish abound with an abundance of fine turtle. Bear, duck, deer, wild turkeys, panthers, and other wild game are also found. The swamp served as a great rendezvous for deserters during the Civil War.